LONDON: Five facts on Venus Williams, who faces Garbine Muguruza in the Wimbledon final on Saturday:
Power play
Venus holds the record for second fastest serve in the history of women's tennis at 129 mph in the 2007 US Open. Only German Sabine Lisicki has hit a faster delivery, while Serena, regarded as the best female server of all time, is in fourth place. By the age of 10, Venus's serve topped 100 miles per hour.
Rankings regret
Although Venus held the world number one position on several occasions in her most dominant period over a decade ago, the seven-time Grand Slam champion has never finished a calender year in pole position. She first went to number one in February 2002, the first African American woman to do so in the Open Era.
Fashion passion
As well as sparkling on court, Williams cuts a dash off it. She received her fashion degree from the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale and designs much of the clothing for her fashion line EleVen.
Sister act
With six titles and eight final appearances, Serena has been virtually untouchable at the US Open, except when she faces Venus. The elder Williams is the only person to beat Serena twice in New York. She first did it in 2001 in the first Grand Slam singles final contested by two sisters during the Open era. Four years later, she won when the sisters met in the fouth round
Changing places
Although the story of Venus and Serena being taught to play tennis by their father Richard on bullet-scarred courts in the tough Compton district of Los Angeles is well known, the family actually moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, when Venus was 10, so the sisters could attend the tennis academy of Rick Macci.
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